Expansible reamer



Jan. 1-3, 1931.. E. F. RAYMOND EXPANSIBLE REAMEB Filed March 3. 195.8

s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 13, 1931. E. F. RAYMOND EXPANSIBLE REAMER Filed March 3, 1928 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 is thuscausingconsiderable wear-bothon 401t'helcutters to expanded position, and the I I Patented Jan. 13, 1 931 ,Enwartn r. Harmon-1,1, 01: LOS ANGELES, GAIJ'FOBNIZQQSSIGNOB mdaonnenan'igornos A eE s,

C F R I nXrANsIBLE, REA E I Application nee-March 3,

Tins invention has to do with 'expansible l'eamers, underreamers and similar tools of the type used in wells. A general object of the invention is to provide an expanding reamer construction wherein the expanding cutters are both positively expanded and positively contracted. i

It istypical in spring actuatedexpanding reamersthat the cutters are expandedunder the action-of a spring; the spring pressure tendingconstantly to move the cutters to "expand: them. Sometimes this; is done. by' a relative longitudinal movement between the cuttersor cutter carriers and a mandrel having wed'gfing action onthe carriers; and sometimes this is done by swinging or other wise transverselymoving the cutters or cut ter carriers. By whatever specific means the cutters are movedoutwardly that outward no: movement is commonly eifected' by-ya spring actuation; and contraction isthus effected by. some force acting against the-spring. Vhen the tool isbeing moved through a well casingtheex-pandingspring is usually constantlyurging; the-cutters against the casing and the-casing andgonthe cutters. I 'My inventionprovides an" additional spring actuation for the "expanding cutters.

I -The arrangement is such thatone spring tends to contracttlieacutters while the other tends to exp'and themy and" means are providedby'my: inventionfor effectively throw- 1 m one oi the otherof the springs out of operationatrcertain'timesso that theother spring then actssolel y upon, the cutters.

Thus in'a typical 'embodimentof theinvention: there are two springs, ea'chcapable of acting uponthe cutters, onetending to throw "othentending to move the'm to'contracted positiom; In. the typical embodimenthere 'i-naiiter. described, I. have arranged these springs sothat theezrpanding action of the outtenexpandingspring isstronger than the icontractin'g :action: of the cutter contracting spring; with the 'resultr that: when both springs are acting upon. the cutters,"'fthe stronger expanding spring tl rows the cutters their expanded positions I But, whenv it I 2 Figures 10' and 11 positions,-

1928, Teena int. 25am; j

is; desired-Ltd contract the cutters; the expand ing spring-' is definitely thrownoutfof operation as," for instance, by disconnecting the expanding spring=';froni the. cutters. Then the contracting spring, no' longer opposed by the expanding spring, acts toipositively con "tract thecutt'ers." Thusthe cutters are'both' V positively spring expanded and springcontracted; y

My ii "ventioniis broadly applicableto vari- 'oustype'sfoii reamers and to 'various typesj of cuttersilandlcutter movements; but fin this 7 description'l have chosen as a 'typical .em-

hodiment'rth'e type of 'reamerin whiclr, the

cutters swing about longitudinal axes and the springs tend t oswing'them between-their 1 expandedfand contracted-pos'itions. 1. r 'Vfithfithe foregoing preliminaryfunderstanding ofthein vention I now proceed to a detailed description- 0f apreferred and illustrative embodiment, reference for" said I purpose being had to the accompanying drawings, which Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section t of my'iinprovedreamer show-ingthe parts i in expanded position.

Fig; 2 is=a similar-view showing the parts in contractedposition.

1 Figures-$ 4 and are, respectively, cross 33, 4--4fand 5 5 of sections on lines Figure l'.

"Figures; 6: and 75 are, respectively, cross i I sections 'on' lines 6-6 and "7 -7 of Figure 2.

v Fig;S-iS-"aFsimilar section showing the f t part-sinthe positionsfas' shown immediately after contraction.

Eigs; 10"an'd ll, showing the parts in similar but showing eiurthermodifiea ion tion,;.,

Fig; 9' 15 3,11 enlargement of certain parts ofFig. 1, showing thefiparts inexp'anded position as in Fig.1. 7

Inthe drawings, I illustrate the present embodiment as having a mandrel body provided with recesses 11 in which the cutters 12 are adapted to swing and also to move longitudinally. The parts 12 are here referred to as cutters, although they may be cutter carriers which carry ultimate cutting elements elther 1n the form of sharp edges,

such as herein illustrated, or inthe form of rollers or other specifically formed cutters.

These cutters 12jare mounted on pivot stems 13 which extend above and below the cutters part of the mandrel.

- and have bearings in the body, as illustrated in the various figures. The body 10 has an upper head 10a and a lower head 105 in which the pivot stems13 are journaled and the pivot stems project both above and below the heads 10a and 10?) and have pinions 14 and 144; on their upper and lower ends,

which pinions are adapted to mesh with two internal toothed ring gears 15 and 16. These two ring gears are revolvable around and vertically movable on the smaller parts 100 and 10d of the mandrel, which parts 100 and 10d extend above and below the'body The part 100 has at its upper end a taper-threaded-pin which threads tightly" into a member21 which is,

in effect, a combined sub and housing mem-' her, it having a sleeve portion 21a which extends downwardly around tlieniandrel part 100 and surrounds the expanding spring 25 and the ring gear 15. Likewise the lower endof mandrel part 100? has a taper-threaded pin 26which threads into member 27 which is similarto member 21, thismember 27 hav-,

ing an upwardly projecting sleeve 28, which surrounds the mandrel part 10d and the contracting spring 30 and also the ring gear 16. The upper member 21 may be provided with the usual taper-threaded pin 31 for connection with the usual rotary drill stem, and the lower member27 may have the usual taperthreaded box 82 for connection with a drill bit. v r

Expanding spring 25 has its upper end :anchored at 33 in a collar 34 which is set on mandrel part 100; while the lower end of the. spring islanchored at35 in the ring The contraction spring 80 has its lower end anchored at 36 in collar 37 which is set on the lower mandrel part 10d, and the upper endeof spring 30 is anchored at 38 in the ring gear 16. The ring gears 15 and 16 are both rotatable about the mandrel partsand mayboth be longitudinally slidable' thereon between the positions shown in Figures 'l and 2; and the springs 25 and 30 .not only have torsion action tending to rotate the ring gears, but may also both have longitudinal compression action tending to move the ringgears longitudinally. In certain aspectsrof action, as hereinafter ex-' plained, the upper spring 35 need not have any longitudinal action and upper ring gear in Figure 3.

15 need not slide vertically; but for purposes of explanation I shall assume that there is longitudinal action at the top spring as well as at the bottom one. For instance, to use some illustrative figures, the upper expanding spring25 has a torsional action :on the upper ring gear 15 tending to rotate that ring gear left-handedly when looking down upon it. This direction of rotation of ring gear 15 is indicated by the arrow Tending thus to rotate the ring gear 15 left-handedly, the torsion spring25 also tends to rotate the pinions 14 and the cutters12 left-handedly, tending to rotate the cutters from the contracted position of Figure? to the expanded positions of Figure 5. Spring 25 is ,designed-and is initially set to have a torsional action of a certain predetermined strength. For purposes of a clear understanding I shall assume that the torsional action of spring 25 on the ring gear 15 is equal to about 750 pounds. The contracting spring 30 also has a torsional action upon its ring gear 16' and therefor upon the cutters; but the torsional action of spring 30 is opposite-in direction to the torsional action of spring 25 and is of 1 'sional strength or the expanding spring 25;

and such is the case when the parts are in the position of Figure L-Q'Ihe parts 'are held in the longitudinal position shown in Figure 1 by the fact that the lower spring 30 has a greater longitudinal strength than the upper spring 25. Thus, for illustration, the'force. exerted upwardly by spring 30 upon its ring gear 16 maybe equal to about 1,250 pounds while the force exerted downwardly by spring 25 upon its ring gear15 .may be equal to aboutl350 pounds. When ring gear 16 ismoved upwardly it moves the cutter stems 13' and cutters 12 upwardly with it; and the upper'ends of the cutter stems and the 'upper-.;pinions 14 press upwardlyagainst the upper ring gear 15 and move it up to the position shown in Figure l, compressing the. upper spring 25. In' this positionof the parts the superior torsion of the upper spring 25 throws thejcutters out to their expanded positions.

Supposenow that thetool is in the Wel below. the casing Cand is inoperationinthe position shown .in Figures 1 and 9. Then mamas 7 operation isi finishediand' it (is. desired; to

withdraw thetool zi romethewl, itiis. merely l .drawni up 1 against theg-lewerend of thecasingry The projecting cutters 12; come, into contact with thecaslng and, V as the tool. 18 raised, the cutterszare pushed down, to the I relative longitudinal; position shown in Fig.

ures'2:and 10, pushingthe jlower ring gear I 1:6;doWnandcompressingthe lower "sprang 30. Atthe same time the upper rlng gearlf) is lowered withits SQh--Of"0lllhall teeth 10 onlts loweredge engaglnguln corresponding clut,ch. recesses 4:1;011i3i16 upper side of; head i 10a.- When,thishasioccurred thering gear 'isheld from rotation under {the action of spring and the pinionsil inay then move I and out: offlnesh with the ring; gear '15.

lnstantthey so-m'o'veout'of; mesh with ring on down to the; position; shown: in Figure l 2 The gear 15, then the lower spring -is no longer opposed in torsional; action by the upperv spring 25 1 and accordingly the, lowen spring 1 30-instantly throws the-cutters l2vtoctheir contracted positions, in whioh positions t QSOiagaincOmes immediately into. play; and

cutters may move up, inside the casing. Eigures "2: and 10 show the parts in contracted position andiwith the cutters just moving upinside the lower end (if casing G. Assoon', howevergtas the cutters 12v have been novedto contracted:positions so that they. can pass up inside the casing G,' then the longitudinal strength, of lower-isprin'g moves the partsupwarfdly,'to the position shown in Figures 8jand'; 11.g Inthis position the parts are again inthesaine longitudinal relative positions they were in Figurev1', ,but their relative rotative posi tionsghave been changed, djueto, the fact; that the cutters12haVe been. swung from their 1 expandedtoitheir ccntraotedpositions while out of rotative connection. with rin g'gear 215;. The 1 different: relative pesitiens; of; the

parts as regards rotationmay perhaps best he understood by particular" refers/119 to Figures ,9, 10 and 11in,which;thepositions :correspond; respeetivelyi toithe positions of Figures: 1 2 and,;8; vIn Figure 9fthecuttars 12 are expanded: and thexaring gea 15 t has rotated; a l afn" as it. canzin left-handed directions-in the directioniof movement; in dicatedi by the arrow on the ring gear in Figuref9.-, :In. this-positiontheeutters (see Fig. 5)"have brought up against their stops and-the clutch lugslO may alsoh'ave brought up, or substantially vbroughtup against-the shoulders'z'fllw of clutch recessejs flll 0i; the hodyj head-10a; WhenIpi-niOnS 14; areij low- 'ered out of; mesh with the ring gear ,,t hat ier; under the impl lseiofspr1ng25-and the. JI'lilgIS pregear, cannot rotate any; rm

i wented from totally unwinding Therefore th p t tse e the r t v P si ons e we in. Figre; 10.; the utte 12 wi n ;areuadz ta QlQ fiQl rflQ nesiti se-witheu moving, ring gear15 rotatiuely from its' xrela,

tiv-e"position' showni in Figure 9.. Then when the cutter stems 13 andtheir'pinions 14' moveyupwardlyt but in their, contracted positions, and put the pinions 1 1 againinto mesh withthe ringugear; 15, thering gear 15 is merely.moved'vhackjupwardly in that same pfisition of;-rotation,;with the clutch lugsftO'still'. up against "the shoulders/11a,

Accordingly the cutters" '12 cannotthen be swung outwardly by the action 0f'spring'25 because; although the cutters are now in rotative connection with both springs} and although the'upper spring 25 is the stronger torsionally ;yet that; spring, 25 cannot rotate the, upper: ringgearilii ,in the] direotio-n necessary to expand the cutters.

quentlya the tool;lcan now be pulled up through the casing to; the top ofthe well withfthecutters still contractedand: positiVely-held in contracted position. T hisf is because the expanding spring 251is, inltlhe totally inoperative to expand the cutteifsL I ring gear 15Tas"if its clutchilugs were;

is. up, thenzthat ring gear,wl1en inthe'position correspondingito -Fig ll can and will Conselast described position: of the; devieegi held i V There i are iseveral@variationso fi st'ructure t and action whlchli shall; now speak, of. The

descriptionthus-far has dealt withthe upper act, underthetorsion of spring 25, to swing i the -cuttersyoutwardly against; the while the tool fist; being, raised. the

spring 25 can. never fully unwind, use the, ring geari 1n its lower position 1js always clutched whenever; pinions-l l'are out, of mesh with it. i 5

I On the other hand, as showniIiL-Fig 13" (in which-the rotative position corresponds to that of. FigilO); the ringgear 15 may have no clutching action; so that,: when .pinions r 14: are down and cutters 12-contracted,the

ring ,gean-15 is freefto move arouzidiar enough to unwind sp'ring 2 5, completelyand then when the cutters andpinions 14? move back up to the position of Fig; 141 (which corresponds to thatof Fig. =11-) the-cutters stay in their,collapsed-positions because spring 25' then hasino; COISlOllZtl tenslon.

Figs-13 and 14- also shew thering gear 15 withoutvany' longitudinal movement, which is tunnecessaryr in this v particular ;form as also in the other formfirst;v described. but

which may always be provided i1 the; gem

re a a e- R e 5 the" w lt e /th ta. by m ijs then ready to be put back into the casing variationof depths of'lugs 40 and recesses '41, the different types of action may be attained. 7 I

In any case, when the tool reaches the'top of the well it can then be re-set for expanding operation as follows: cutters 12 are again pushed down to thelowe'r contractedpositions of Figuires 2, 10 or 13. VJhilet-he cutters are thus held downthe ring gear is either rotated back in a direction opposite to. that indicatedby the arrows,and the cutters then allowed to move up to their upper positions; or the cutters are, by hand, or otherwise, swung out against the action of spring to their expanded positions while they arebeing held down and are then lowed to move up intheir expanded positions, thus putting the tool back into exactly the position of Figures 1 and 9. .Then

\ manual contraction of the cutters 12 will rotate the parts to'the relative positions shown in detail 1n Figure 12; and the tool and to expand when it passes out of the lower end of the casing Ifit is desired'to rotate ringv gear 15 backwards to the position of Figure 12 while the cutters 12 are lowered, asuitable wrench, having a pinion head just like one of the pinions 1% may be torsion of spring 25.

inserted upwardly through the special Wrench opening 50 provided in the head 10m and the ring gear 15 may be rotated back-to the position of Figure 12 against the Being held in the position of Figure 12 by the wrench the cutters 12 are then allowed to move up, putting pinions 14 back into mesh with gear 15, and

then upon removal of the wrench the spring 25 will act to throwthe parts from the position of Figure 12 to the position of Figures 1 and 9. I11 the modified form in which the upper spring is allowed completely to'unwind (Fig. 13) the wrenchiis used to wind the spring up completely. In the other forms the spring only has-t0 be re-wound by the amount that it unwinds in its cutter 'ex panding action.

I claim: 7

1.'In an expansive 'reamer, the combina- 1 31 In an expansive reamer,-the combination ore body, a cutter mounted therein for movement of expansion and contraction, spring, actuated means for expanding the cutter,a separate'springactuated means for contracting the cutter, one of said spring so tuated means being stronger than the other .so as to move the cutter against the action of said other, and means for 'operatively disconnecting the stronger of said spring actuated means from the cutter.

i. In anexpansive reamer, the combination of a body, a cutter mounted therein for movement of expansion and contraction and also for longitudinal movement, spring actuated'means for contracting the cutter, and separate spring actuated means for expanding the cutter, which said last mentioned means is operatively disconnectible from the cutter by longitudinal movement of the cutter.

In anexpansive'r'eamer, the combination of a body, a cutter mounted therein for movement of expansion and contraction and also for longitudinal movement, spring actuated means for contracting the cutter, spring actuated meansfor expanding the cutter, the last mentioned spring actuated means being stronger than the first men tioned means, thereby to cause expansion of the cutter when both said means are operatively connected thereto, and means whereby said means for expanding the cutter is operatively disconnected from the cutter by longitudinal movement-of the cutter.

6. In an expansive rea-mer, the combination of a body, a cutter mounted therein to swing transversely about a longitudinal axis and to'move'longitudinally along said axis, a spring actuated means rotatively connected with the c'utter and tending to swing it in one direction, another springactuated means rotatively connected with the cutter and tending to swing it in the opposite direction, one of said means being operatively disconnectible from the cutter by longitudinal movement of the cutter.

7. In an expansive reamer, the combination of a body, a cutter mounted therein to swing transversely about a longitudinal axis and to move longitudinally along said axis, a spring actuated means rotatively connected with the cutter and tending to swing it in one direction, another spring actuated means rotatively connected with the cutter and tending to swing it in the opposite direction, one of said spring actuated means being stronger. than the other and being operatively' disconnectible from the cutter by 1011 gitu'dinal movement of the cutter.

8.-In anexpansive reamer, the combination of a body," a cutter mounted therein to swing horizontally about the vertical axis to and from thebody for contraction and expansion and to move vertically in the body along said axis, a torsion spring in the body 

